My dream job!

To go, or to stay, I was debating what I should do? Go to South America as planned since I got my boat job or to stay in Canada and wait for the chance of a life time.
I thought the job on the boat was perfect I could work six months of the year then have the winters off which enables me to travel and focus on my writing, my dream, my passion. After working my first season on the boat I realized how much of a bubble it is and is this plan really ideal for my long term goals? I considered going back to university for journalism but the suffocating feeling of being in one place for 4 years and being in debt put that idea to the back burner, as well as a snotty recruitment officer from Carlton University. Do I really need a degree?

I knew what I wanted to do this winter as far as next year I was going to take some time to think it over. In the meantime I booked a flight to Cartagena, Colombia for Wednesday Nov 10. I also booked a bus Tuesday November 09 from my hometown to Detroit to get the flight. In the intern time between finishing on the boat and my departure I have been working on walking tours of Oaxaca City, Mexico for GPSmyCity (www.gpsmycity.com). They contacted me through my blog and asked me to be a travel content writer. I agreed back in August but told them because I was on a boat I couldn’t start the walking tours until October. I had to teach myself how to do audio recordings, pin point GPS coordinates and write interesting blurbs about sites. It was quite time consuming especially because I had no idea what I was doing.

In the midst of my tour making frustration I went to sign onto my yahoo e-mail and saw on the yahoo news Air Transat offering dream job. I checked it out and discovered it really was my dream job. I remember telling my co-worker on the boat I wish someone would just come up to me and offer me my dream job where I get paid to travel and write about it, everyday is different and a new adventure and I would be able to see my name in print. As I read the requirements on the screen it was like someone had already looked at my resume and designed a job for me.


• Must be at least 21 years of age – Check!
• A passion for travel –So check!
• A taste for pleasure and adventure – Check and check!
• Strong oral and written skills – check!
• Strong interpersonal skills – check!
• Able to project a dynamic, energetic image – Check!
• Good knowledge of social media – Check!
• Independent, able to adapt – Check!
• Able to travel (2 consecutive weeks per month for 1 year) – Check!
• Good mastery of digital audio-video equipment – Check…well I can figure it out!
• Able to manage a flexible work schedule – check!
• An excellent knowledge of English is necessary, due to the nature of the work – Check!
• Spanish an asset – Check and in Spanish por supuesto!
• College and/or university degree a must – Check!
• Must have a valid Canadian passport – Check!
• There must not be any restrictions preventing the vacationer from travelling and crossing borders – Check!
• Good knowledge of software (Suite Office) – do do do do DO check!


That is Tracy Gaudreau in a nut shell! Air Transat is looking for someone to be a Vacationer a foreign correspondent to travel to 12 destinations in 12 months and share your experiences with the public using web videos and a blog. To apply I had to make a two minute video, the first minute talking about a local attraction and the second minute why I would be the best candidate. I wrote out a few things, researched the famous Peterborough Lift locks and recruited my friend to film me on my tiny little green point and shot canon camera. I downloaded Windows movie maker to make and edit my movie which I had to teach myself how to do. I was quite happy with the results and even happier that I did it on my own. I was trying to recruit my movie maker friend to help me out but couldn’t wait to align our schedules. My video is 100% a product of Tracy Gaudreau. I stayed up until midnight finishing it off and tweaking my resume. I was so nervous when I pushed the apply button and sent it off into cyber space. This job and video consumed my life for over a week when I hit send I was relieved I could relax try to put it out of my mind for a few days and see what happens.

10:10am the next morning Michel from Air Transat called to interview me. My previous posting WRTIENOW is a result from that call. They told me they would let me know by November 8th if I get a second interview. I couldn’t sleep for 2 weeks.

I am now relieved that I didn’t wait to the last minute to apply and got my application in early. I discovered on the Air Transat Vacationer facebook page the site was having problems and people couldn’t get their resume and video in. The site most likely crashed with everyone submitting their videos at the last minute. It looks like tough competition as well, I do admit I have been creeping the Vacationer facebook page. There is a girl who's travel blog won an award for best blog of 2010! She won an award for her blog and mine only gets viewed by my friends on facebook or random people who google putas (note to self no matter how funny it is to you never use puta in a title for one of your postings again). Although my ambitious and competitive nature is not going to let these award winners and seemingly friendly posters on the site get me down. I am still pretty freaking awesome if I can toot my horn this one time.

Now back to my problem, I thought I had a plan, Air Transat said they would call by November 08 if I got a second interview now the deadline for applying is pushed back and a lot of people have applied last minute there is no way they are going to get back to me within the day, logically speaking. So I am leaving on a plane to Colombia. If they call I will fly back for an interview but if not then I can continue trying to obtain my goals of traveling and writing. The Gringa Trail is off again for new adventures in South America!

Fingers, toes and everything else crossed that I get a call back! To view my video application check it out on The Gringa Trail facebook fan page!